Skylight construction



June 6, 1939.

A. RAT'NER ET AL SKYLIGHT CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 30, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 6, 1939. A. RATNER ET AL SKYLIGHT CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 30, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED-STATES ?ATEN;T OFFICE Abraham Ratner, East Orange, and Martin E. Anderson, Newark, N 1.

Application September 30, 1936, Serial No.v 103,268 1 Claim. 7 (c1. 10s-1s 1 place, with improved means for releasing gravity ventilating windows to drop to open position when a fire condition develops; improved means for seating each window so as to fully close the window opening; improved means for seating the joint at the: upper edge of each gravity window or closure against the inflow of andot draining the rain: W

snow, sleet and rain, ater which tends to accumulate against the window joint; improved means for joining. the edges of adjacent window panes to the steel. framing, so: that leakage is avoided; and improved means for connecting the spring curtain, employed for excluding. natural illumination from the interior of the building, theatre, school or other place, so that the ourtain will automatically open,

so as to avoid inter"- ference with ventilation, when the gravity windows or closures are released tion.

to drop to open posi- With the above and other objects in view the invention consists-in certain new and useful constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specification, and fully illustrated in the drawings, in

which Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of the improved skylight construction,

showing the operating Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view, showing one wing of the skylight.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, slightly enlarged, showing the glass pane joint connection. Fig. 4 is a detail side view, enlarged, showing the connector for the cable or cord of the spring wound curtain for excluding natural illumination, which cooperates with the restraining cable system used for controlling the Fig. 5 is a detail vertical gravity windows.

sectional View, on-

larged, of the drain protecting device for the upper end of the window.

Referring to the drawings illustrating the practical construction of my skylight, 5 designates a .roof support, which may be of any construction.

On this base or roof support the angle steel 6 is mounted, and this is provided with a wedge shaped shim 1, against which is dow framing 8, also of steel secured the winor suitable fireproof construction, by means of the bolts 9.

The framing 8 provides openings H), which are nor a series of window mally closed by the metal windows or closures II, which are hinged at I2 thereto. The framing- 8.- is supported in up--- wardly and outwardly inclined position, so that the windows or closures It will tend to drop by the force of gravity from closing positions toopen positions, and each closure is provided with a cord or cable l3, secured at. one endtothe window or closure and at the other end tothe framing, so that the opening action oi the window or closure will be limited. 10

Above the framing 8 a steel angle member M is mounted in place on each; side oi the construction. On this member the steel angle I5 is mounted, and this is provided with a. seat Hi to receive. the window glass I21. To the member or 15 angle piece In the steel member or lateral extension i8 is secured. The steel member [4. proviclcs a horizontal, sill forthe windows, and may be faced onboth sides with sheet. copper l9, folded upon the same. The extensio-n In is sup ported abovethe steel. member M, and a copper protecting sheet, or other corn-icewo-rk 2| is socured thereto, as by the bolts orscrews. 21-. The lower horizontaledge of this cornice member is formedwith a longitudinal groove 22, which'is disposed close tothe lower horizontal bar Ida oi the member 14. The upper edge of the closure or window I l is equipped with a copper protector 23, which is formed with a longitudinal channel 23a, and provided with a doubled for folded longitudinal edge 23b, designed to stiffen the member.

Should rain water or the drippings from snow be blown or draininto the channel, this water or drippings will discharge through the holes 230, formed in the bottom of the channel, which 'is disposed below the level of the upper edge of the window or closure, thus preventing the water or drippings from entering the small gap between the window and the framing 8.

Adjacent to the upper horizontal edge of the window glass or pane IT, a U-shaped channel member 25 is disposed. This channel member thus provides upstanding side flanges 25a and 251). Over these flanges the copper drain strip 26 is mounted, and this strip is provided with longitudinal drain channels 26a and 261), which extend outwardly of the channel member 25, so as to receive and drain off condensation which tends to accumulate against the inner side of the glass windows or panes I1.

A bolt 21 extends through the channel 25 and a felt cushioning washer 29 is engaged by a clamping nut 28. The bolt 21 extends between the edges of the panes I1 and Ila, and the flanges 25a and 251) have engagement with the panes at points reasonably spaced from the marginal edges, so that chipping of the edges is prevented, and an effective joint is provided for the glass panes.

The channels 26a and 26b are designed to drain on" toward the end of the skylight construction.

The overhead framing which supports the panes l l and Illa is connected to the apex forming angle members so and 3|, which are bolted tothe intermediate strip or member 32 by the bolts 33, and which provide the downwardly and outwardly inclined flanges 34 and 35, upon which the overhead steel framing is secured by means of the bolts 35.

Steel Work 31, in the form of suitable angle shapes is supported horizontally below the panes I1 and Ha, and over this steel work the protecting screen 38 is mounted in any suitable manner, to prevent broken glass from falling upon the stage located below.

On the steel work 37 a pulley block 39 is supported, as by the hook 46, adjacent to each gravity Window closure H, and over each pulley block a wire cable ll is trained. This cable is connected by the loop ila and the hook llb to the eye 42a of the screw bolt 42. This bolt is threaded through the closure H and adjustably secured in place by means of the nuts 43. By adjusting the nuts 43 the tensional pull of the cable 3! upon the closure l I may be varied at will, so that that closure ll may be fully seated to completely seal the Window opening.

All of the cables M are connected to a ring or connector 45, and this is again connected to the single cable 45, which is trained over the guide pulleys 4'6 and ll, and then connected to the plate or connector 48. This plate or connector 38 is again connected to a cable 69, which is wound upon the double hook 50. The cables 45 and 9 are preferable of textile or rope material. A knife is supported adjacent to this combustible end of the control so that the cables 45 and 49 may be severed without untying the cord or rope wound in the book 50.

The connector or plate 38 is equipped with an angular arm 52, to which the restraining cord or cable 53, of the spring windable curtain 54, which is automatically wound upon the spring roller 55, is connected by winding. A fusible link 56 is provided on the cable 49, and another such fusible link is provided on the cable 45, so that should a fire start in the absence of attendants, the gravity opened window closures would be released. When the lower cable 49 is released either by manual action, or by the action of ab normal heat upon the fusible link, the cables restraining the gravity actuated closures and the spring wound curtain will be released, causing the curtain to be wound upon its spring roller and allowing all of the gravity actuated window closures to drop to open position, thus allowing full ventilation for the release of any smoke produced by the action of a fire within the building, and thereby complying with fire regulations.

When each window closure drops to open position the drain channel carried by its upper end will swing outwardly, clearing the steel work and the cornice work. Should one or more closures fail to fully seat the adjusting bolt connecting the restraining cable to the closure may be adjusted. But whatever adjustment is made between the individual restraining cable and its window closure, the automatic fire releasing action will not be hampered or complicated.

We claim as new and patentable:

A skylight construction consisting of a steel frame, a series of gravity opening closures mounted on the frame, a cable connected with each closure, a common connector for all of the cables, a cable connected with the connector, a spring Wound shading curtain mounted to work under the closures, a cable connected to the curtain, a coupling device carried by the second named cable having an arm thereon on which the curtain cable may be restrained, a cable connected with said coupling device, and means for restraining the last named cable, whereby upon the release of said last named cable all of the gravity closures and the spring actuated curtain will be released.

ABRAHAM RATNER. MARTIN E. ANDERSON. 

